A City of Hidden Spaces
Insides and Out-n-About
In the whirlwind that had been the last two or three weeks, I am glad my head is still on straight. Matt had the opportunity to visit Russia for two weeks for business, and jumped on the chance...only to find out he would be leaving in 4 days. After spending the weekend in Lafayette, we took the night before he left to throw some clothes into a suitcase.
Whenever he leaves, I take advantage of having full control...on top of my mountain of homework. In the first week, I bought new plants, painted and organized the office, and cleaned the whole house. The second week I became very bored and started to miss him.
Luckily, the first day of Fall he came back to me. I stayed up until 4 am buying groceries, running, doing homework, cleaning, and folding laundry the night before to make sure he would come home to an organized house. I woke up at 7 am to start quite a large feat in my life...cook a roast. Anyone who knows me knows I can paint a room in a day and alter colors to the slightest variation, but cooking always seems to go wrong and stresses me out to the point of pulling hair. I throw in the carrots, potatoes, onions, and meet stuffed with garlic. I say a prayer that it turns out ok and head to school for the day.
Whenever I return, Matt has been home, but has gone to get a haircut so I throw together some ingredients for a chocolate cake that he loves and I actually cook well.
"My potatoe's are still hard...huh...I'll just turn up the heat".
He and a friend that I invited arrive and my potatoes are still hard. I let them chat while I went through the whole roast picking out the potatoes and throwing them away on the verge of tears...YES I screwed up a roast! haha I boiled some new ones and threw them in just in time for us to eat. The roast was decent, but I need to cook it again soon so that I remember what I want to change. I take my cake out of a new "no spray needed/non-stick" bunt pan and SUPRISE it stuck. It was still delicious, but we have decided that I am the hardest trying, bad cook ever! To calm my nerves, we all took a shot of some Russian Vodka Matt bought and I watched the boys play football games.
I have been very busy with school...and of course going to diagnostic tests to find out why my stomach feels like it has been shoved into my ribs for the last six months. I had blood work done, and ultrasound on Monday,and Friday an endoscopy. As I lay on the bed with an IV in my arm, they spray my throat with numbing spray that burns. Then a green mouthpiece with a whole is shoved into my mouth and the elastic piece is put around my head. I am wheeled into a room where I see the previous patients stomach on the screen and the nurse then puts oxygen in my nose...and I am thinking "where is my drugs to make fall asleep!" All of a sudden I hear one of them say night night and the next thing I know I wake up to a nurse and Matt talking about or wedding and hearing, Congratualtions! I had no clue where I was haha...but was then informed that biopsy's were taken from my stomach because they found an ulcer. I am relieved to know that my pain will soon be gone, I will find out more at my doctor's appointment in a week.
Until next time,
Niks
It is almost here...
Only across the world from me; unable to talk on the phone and rarely able to e-mail, being 16 hours ahead of me. It has been a hard week and a half so far. Sakhalin Island, Russia is where Matt has been working for two weeks and I think he is ready to be home. I have not talked to him much, but when I have he said it would rain off and on all day...I am interested to sit down and have a conversation with him about the cultures and customs there. Him being gone has also made me realize the lack of a support system I have in Houston thus far. In Lafayette, I never minded being alone because I knew so many people around me and stayed fairly busy with everyone. This past week I had to go get blood work done and give a local emergency number and I sat there for about 20 minutes until I just decided to put a classmates name down. It is a very weird feeling when you realize you are somewhat alone...that needs to be changed!
Gable and I have been taking care of each other at home while he has been gone. She is my little protector dog and I try to pet her as good at Matt does haha. Every time she hears a truck she waits by the door with her tail wagging, only to be disappointed. I have been trying all week to get everything done so I could ride with a friend to the LSU/ULL game in Baton Rouge. I have been missing Tiger Stadium very much since football season started and am so irritated with the lack of school spirit at UH. Unfortunately, my homework kept piling up yesterday, and I had to cancel my trip to stay home and do school work :(. I am hoping to go to a game soon, but a lot of wedding meetings are scheduled for the next few weekends, including the wedding dress I have been waiting to try on in Austin the first weekend in October. Anyone want to make a weekend of it? Hopefully Matt and I will get to go to a game... Until next time...talk to you in Fall!
Niks
Almost 9 months left...and still a lot to do
Well in my attempt to avoid doing school work I decided to write a little about my wedding planning experience.
Well first of all...the advice about not listening to people's advice was given to me on a congratulations card from my sister...and it is so true. It seems like the people you want advice from do not give it enough and the one's you don't want it from cannot stop giving it. haha
After getting engaged, I lay in bed the next morning not wanting to plan ever. I knew how much work it would be and just wanted to be married. Well, planning so far has had its goods and bads.
Matt and I narrowed all of Houston's venues down to six, which we looked at and then narrowed down to three. Finally, we decided on Agave Road in Katy, Texas. We figured it was a good mid-point between Louisiana and Oklahoma and has the feel that we love. It also has an outdoor area and an indoor area.
When we paid the deposit for the venue we got our caterer, bar service, cake designer, officiant, and dj along with it. I still have to decide on some of the specifics and meet with these people and have tastings.
Next we looked for a photographer since it was one of the most important parts for me (being in a design major). I looked through many people, and met with three. They were all very good at what they do and we had a hard time deciding. In the end, Matt made a spread sheet with all three and the categories: price, skill, and personality. We rated the categories by importance and the winner ended up being the photographer we had been admiring since we moved here. He was also the one I got along with the best, and I got his price down to meet my budget.
When my mom and sister came in for the bridal show, I tried on my first wedding dress and we all fell in love with the second one. There was one more that we all liked in a picture that I wanted to try on before I decided. I have been on the hunt in Houston, Lafayette, and even tried to recreate this dress with a combination of dresses in Baton Rouge with my friend Ashtyn. I still have not found the actual dress to try on, and am waiting for a store in Austin to call back about possibly getting it for a trunk show in October. Until then, I will be putting the dress hunting on hold. I am hoping to order a dress by November/ December.
I have decided on a line for my bridesmaids to choose from. I asked them to choose from a variety of yellow, tea-length dresses and gave them until November/ December to decide which one they want.
Matt and I wrote out our ceremony and picked a song for me to walk down the aisle to. I am hoping to find a family member who can sing/play it for me. We also finalized our guest list before he left for Russia on Monday. We have a grand total of 366 people invited to our wedding! That is A LOT!
Lately, I feel like I am floating in the air with no direction to go with all of this planning stuff. My best friend, Erika, met with me on Saturday to help me clarify what I should be doing. She helped me make a 1.5 page list of things still left to do and helped me with what flowers I like. We looked at a lot of decorations so I am still very confused haha. I called a florist and setup an appointment for October so hopefully I will feel better after that. We can also do a catering tasting the first Tuesday of every month, so that might be in October as well.
I am managing school and planning better than I thought; one being a break from the other. It is starting to get more fun with the actual decroations and fashion stuff. I cannot wait to do invitations!;) I am also trying to make a list of things to do in Houston for everyone, so if anyone has any suggestions let me know!
Love you,
Niks
Viva Las Vegas
What do you think of when someone says "Las Vegas"?
One might think scandalous, bad decisions, gambling, heavy drinking, and "What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas"
My family thinks..."Yay!...A family vacation!" haha. This vacation might involve some of the above mentioned attributes, but with the family there...what happens in Vegas definitely does not stay in Vegas.
Kristen and I don't mind going with our parents because typically they will just go wherever to continue to explore parts of Vegas they never knew (I mean hey...they are good looking enough to get in anywhere)... I know they are reading this ;)
We joined each other in OKC on the flight to Vegas and most began having fun on the plane.
That night we ate at Tahiti Joe's at our Condo...def. do not recommend this place unless you want to good entertainment from the sing along piano. In our decision making time on where to go that night, we ended up falling asleep...we were just getting rested for the rest of the trip...a whole week.
The condo had a nice pool that we tried to spend some time at each day, especially while the guys played golf two days in a row. Thursday night we went to the Hard Rock and played around...sort of like us kids did when we were young...there was just some gambling added.
Friday, my dad was tired so he went to bed and the rest of us desparately headed out to find the carousel bar. We were so exhausted that we had to stop to get a coffee at the Venetian which gave us a chance to see it as well. Although the bar no longer spins, the band playing was AMAZING. They did all the popular club songs, and sounded really good. They had so much energy and never took a break which woke most of us up and made it a fun night.
Saturday, after pooling and golfing, we decided to try and meet up with Matt's cousin from California. He was taking us out to Vegas's hottest new club called, XS, at The Wynn. Little did we know that in Vegas you must get to the club early to get stamped and then come back because the line is so long you may never get in if you go past 10:30. We stood in line for an hour and then (because we are from smaller places and NEVER wait in line) left, cursing this stupid club. We tried to make it a good night still, but for most the deed had been done so we left with the tires squeeling on the mini-van (literally).
Sunday, my parents, Matt, and I went to the Hoover Dam because Matt had never seen it. We saw the dam bridge being built and the dam tunnels and even went into the dam museum. That night we went to a horrific comedy show that I felt so bad at I made myself sympathy laugh...never take an offer of free tickets! Then we went to New York New York and clubbed a little and gambled.
The next morning, my mom left because of work stress and worrying about Jake starting High School. We went to the lazy river and then found out that XS was open and we decided that just because we couldn't get in before, we HAD to see this club that was so "awesome"! We went to downtown Vegas and learned how to play craps from my dad and ate an amazing Italian meal and then headed to the club around 9:30. We got in!...and it was a really nice club with expensive, weak drinks (as one might imagine). I just danced the night away!
Tuesday was our last day in Vegas so we pooled it, went to Cirque de Soleil Mystere, and then my dad, Matt, and I went downtown to lose all of our money at craps and blackjack until 3 am...I am officially addicted.
It was a fantastic trip and no one missed any flights. Now back to reality with school starting this past Monday. I am a little overwhelmed beacuse our design build is still not finished so we will be working Fridays on top of our toher classes until it is finished. We also have 16 more students added to the 14 old...making it a total of 30 people in a studio that normally holds 20. I feel like I have to prove myself and meet new people all over again (like I am at a new school AGAIN). I figure God wouldn't put me in this situation if I wouldn't learn or gain something from it so I am just taking it one day at a time. Until next time...
Niks
"I Do"...not us yet
The last two weekends have been a nice break from school while we celebrated Matt's cousin gett married...August 7, 2009
The weekend before last we went to Marksville, Louisiana to celebrate the bride's Bachelorette Party at Paragon Casino. We had a great time by the pool and out Saturday night.
Last weekend our group of friends got together to get those two hitched. Matt is Beau's cousin and was the best man. I have grown close to his fiance over the years and was one of her bridesmaids. This was the first wedding for our group of friends that has become close in college. Thursday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner at Matt's family property in Lafayette. the That night the girls stayed in a nice hotel condo and stayed up until 3:30...yes 3:30! Danielle is such an easy-going bride, I do not know if I could go that late the night before my wedding haha. Saturday we started out by getting our hair and makeup done...I would go to these girls if I was getting married in Lafayette...they are so good. We ate...but not too much...and finished getting ready to head to the church in our party bus.
The ceremony was a Catholic Mass that lasted an hour and I walked with Matt's brother. Never thought I would walk with him down the aisle before I walked with Matt ;). After the ceremony, we all took the party bus to the reception where we danced until they closed and then went downtown to continue dancing. Congrats to the happy couple...your wedding was so much fun! Have fun on your honeymoon! These pics aren't the best, when I get some more I will post them.
Niks
In other news, we poured my 800 pound baby (the cistern) today and it went well.
Matt and Nikki Wedding update:
got the date, the place, rehearsal dinner venue, caterer, dj, photographer, and I am almost done
trying to finalize a guest list and decide on which officiant we want and the type of ceremony
I am almost done deciding on the bridesmaid dresses and I have now begun trying on wedding dresses and have 2 or 3 that I really like.
Trying to get as much done before school starts as possible.
Spanish/ Citrus/ Vintage
Did an inspiration board for my wedding really quick from some photos that had been saving from sites for the past 6 months. Enjoy...
Two Boxes of Candles
It has been a busy couple of weeks on the Design/ Build front. The week before this past one we started our pre-assembly of our steel structure in the shop; putting up columns and the compound beam which weighed over 1,000 pounds. We also finished my "boats" for the inside of my form work.
This past weekend was a studio friend's Pub Golf Birthday Party and Matt's 25th Birthday. Friday night we played pub golf which basically required us to go from bar to bar in Mid Town, Houston and order specific drink and take them in a certain number of sips (par). Matt won because he was the only one still worried about par by the end...and because he bought Jennifer a shot. The next morning we left for Lafayette to celebrate Matt's birthday. We grilled some burgers at his house and while sitting there talking, decided to take his dad's new rug van out on the town. It became our "club in a van" and was so much fun!
This past week at school, we began assembling our floor and roof beams. Putting a beams above our heads completely changed the feel of our entire structure. We also...da da da....FINISHED THE CISTERN form work and wire mesh reinforcement...it is now affectionately known as my 800 pound baby. While working on our cistern copper pipes, Aatique, Simone, and I were photographed and made it to the front page of our school newspaper. Now it just has to be fitted to the site and poured. We are still behind schedule due to our engineer at the beginning and have started working until 6:30 to try and get more work done. We shall see...let's cross our fingers that some magic happens. Until next time...
Niks
Architecture Bootcamp
Built like a boot camp to learn architecture struggles, this design/build studio last 5 days a week from 8-5:30 in the record setting temperatures in the school shop. Everyone started very excited about this process and getting in the shop to work. Now on week 6, the excitement is starting to wear off and the signs of weakness are setting into our body's. When you are not used to physical labor like this your body can take a beating and get weak, letting sickness come easily. Another problem is getting over heated, which happened to me yesterday when I lost my sight in my right eye for 20 minutes (turning my vision into a white spot) and making me very nauseous. Today I made sure to not only drink water, but also gatorade which helped a lot.
On the structural front, our building should be coming back from the city codes office any day now and then should be approved and ready to start building on site. The form work for the concrete went from being many pieces which frightened me, to nearly complete today. The inner cistern form work resembles two boats that we are thinking about sealing the holes and paddling in our pond. I should have pics of it all soon...I hope that it will all go together well. The steel is almost done for now and ready to be sent to the galvanizing plant.
Last weekend we had Matt's college roomate's wedding and we had company come in from Lafayette. Before the wedding we went wake boarding on the boat...as you can tell from the sunburn's in the wedding pics. This weekend we have a pub golf birthday party to go to on Friday and then off to Lafayette on Saturday to celebrate Matt's 25th birthday on Sunday. Here are some pics for you!
Niks
UH GDBS
The design build studio project is going along nicely. I am in charge of the concrete cistern and we are currently shaping our pieces of form work and starting to assemble the exterior walls. Today was a long day, but it is going well. We were interviewed to have an article in a UH paper about us, as well as, put in the UH Moment ( a one minute segment about something going on about UH) on a local radio station yesterday. I found out later that I am in the segment. Here is the link to check out the article and listen to the segment: UH Moment . Here are also some pics taken...
Nikki
Summer in the Bayou
Last weekend we went to Lafayette for Matt's dad's birthday and father's day...and to go wake boarding on the water with our friends. It was a lot of fun, although I didn't do so well on the wake board this time. Sina just bought a new boat so we decided to go out on it and bring all of our friends. Sunday we grilled for Father's day and I worked on homework and called my dad. We still owe him a trip up to Oklahoma for his Father's day. We got home at 1 am and I had school birght and early.
This week we started fabricating the things we have been drawing for the past two months. It is so nice when you start to see parts of your design come together and REALLY get built. On top of fabrication, the guy that OSHA 10 certified us came and gave us a fork lift training class so now I am a licensed fork lift driver haha. I think I was a natural. (pics to come of me driving it) We began cutting my wood fromwork for the concrete cistern and cutting steel for the pavillion. Today I welded steel together for the first time. It is a little nerve racking, but I think I can get used to it. Although we are working 8 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday in jeans and steel toe boots in an un-airconditioned shop in the 100 degree weather...I am actually REALLY enjoying doing the physical work and the day passes by so fast.
Tomorrow Matt and I are going to look at venues for our wedding...wish us luck!
p.s. I accidentally started a wedding website when I signed up for theknot.com, so then I HAD to really make it so if people looked at it there would be info...here is the link: Sweet Happenings
Nikki
When the Stars Align...
At the hotel pool bar Friday night
Matt relaxing near the pool
Lunch on Saturday
On the rocks by the ocean, under the stars ...Saturday, June 13, 2009 at about 11 pm...about five minutes before proposing
At the hotel pool afterwards
The rocks where Matt proposed (a view from our room the next morning)...The people on the end is about where we were.
Before exploring Galveston the last day
Someone Call the Doctor!
As to be expected by now, this blog is consistent with the average of one week late. Last week was my final week off before summer school started and I had intended on doing a lot of work around the house, but unfortunately my allergies didn't think that I should. I fought them from Monday night until Friday morning when my fever became so limiting that I got dressed and drove myself (which felt like a large feat at the time) to the walk-in clinic. This was partially driven by my strong desire to feel well enough to walk and partially by my wanting to go on the boat in Louisiana that weekend. You know how that is...you always get sick at the worst time.
Train
On the dance floor
Coasting
Pulling to the side to get momentum to jump a wake
I'm on a boat...(referring to the song)
Look at me go!
Getting set up to go againThe Summer of Craziness begins...
The weekend after my last blog I took off to Oklahoma to suprise my mom for mother's day. It was so hard not to call her the whole time, but my sis helped organize it so I just stayed in touch with her. When I got to their house, I rang the doorbell and had Kristen answer. She told my mom that she had a package that was too big to pick up. When she came to the door we yelled suprise and she was shocked. We kept it from it for more than a month! We kept busy with going out, sushi, and the facial and massage Kristen suprised my mom with on Saturday.
The next weekend Matt and I headed to Lafayette for Leigh Ann's Bridal Shower and Sina's graduation. That Saturday night after the shower, the girls (my 3 best friends and I) headed to go out for Leslie's Birthday which was in April. She said she wanted to go out like old times so we organized a scavenger hunt taking her to all the places we used to go to. It was so much fun to go out dancing with them! The next morning Matt woke me up at 8 AM to go wakeboarding (very hard to peel myself off of the bed). I finally got up after trying once before which I think has a lot to do with Sina's new skiing boat that he named Cold Koos Koos (he is a huge LSU fan)
I stayed the week with Erika and Leslie since my school was out and I would just have to go back for the Bachelorette Party. At Erika's I was roomates with baby Isla...cutest little thing ever...but she taught me a lot about baby's. It was a pretty relaxing week.
This past weekend we went to Gulf Shores for Leigh Ann's Bachelorette Party while Matt was in a fishing tournament in Cocadrie. The forecast said rain ALL weekend, but you can never trust the weather on the Gulf Coast. Saturady we laid out by the pool because of the wind and then went out. We had a scavenger hunt for Leigh Ann as well. This was one that made her do things that might be embarrasing because of her soon to be married status. We got stuck out on the Florida line when the cabs were no longer running and had to call 911 to get a cab to come get us. Sunday we relaxed on the beach and boiled crawfish. Monday I headed back to Houston.
This coming weekend Matt and I are going back to Lafayette for the annual Boat Bash and will be coming back Sunday just in time for me to start Summer School on Monday. I will keep in touch,
Nikki
Matt mulching the front beds
Kristen, Lindsay, and I out in OK
Sushi and dinks for the girls...Mother's Day
Leslie's B-day Celebration
Sina and Garrett on Cold Koos Koos
My first time up!
And down...notice the foot that flew out of the boots as my face crashed into the water like a wall of bricks
Leslie and Erika at our Bachelorette Beach Bonanza
Me and Les
BFF'S after a rough night
Celebrate we will...
In honor of Dave Matthews I decided to start off this blog with some lyrics from the song, "Two Step". It was one of the many songs they played at the concert last Friday, and is one of my favorites! Although we couldn't take pictures, it was an experience to remember with so many different instruments and each person an expert at the instrument he played. The violinist is def. someone to follow, and the guitarist played my exact guitar for his solo. Now I know I can do it! haha
Matt decided that it is that time of year...time for some boating. Since he has not brought his boat from Louisiana yet, he and some friends decided to rent one in Kemah, on Sunday. We loaded up the truck with the wake board, tubes, and sunblock and headed that way. Matt was of course the captain and he did a great job of taking it easy while I was on the monster tube just wanting a relaxing joy ride. Of course, the other guys were not so lucky haha. The rain forecast was not looking good, but it held off while we were out on the water. Matt and another friend of ours wake boarded, but it was getting pretty wavy so I held off until next time since I am still trying to get the hang of it.
Afterwards we went to the BEAUTIFUL Kemah Boardwalk and enjoyed a lake full of seafood! I am pretty sure I turned into a fish by the end of that meal.It was a relaxing weekend with A LOT of fun and I cannot wait to do it again! We also realized that the next FIVE weekends are booked by things outside of Houston so I am sure there will be more posts soon! Here are a few pics...
Niks
Where does the time go
After Mardi Gras, I discovered the Houston equivalent which is the Houston Rodeo. It is def. not as crazy, but it is their big celebration and lasts 1 month. We won Keith Urban tickets and were invited to see another singer (cannot remember his name). It was a lot of fun and before the rodeo, Matt and I found this cool thrift shop called Texas Junk that has over 200 pairs of boots in a range of prices so we went and got some neat boots...mine were only 30!
In March, I also ran a 5k for the Houston SPCA to raise money for homeless animals in Houston. I started the run just to warm up for my 10k and to bring Gable for a nice run with other dogs around, but I ended up raising over $150 dollars. Gable had a blast, from the moment we got out of the car her tail was wagging and she was sniffing everything.
The next weekend was my 10k which I had been training for for over 2 months. The temperature dropped from the beautiful 70's to the 40-50's and it was rainy...so nice haha. Kristen bailed on the run bc of the crappy weather, but my mom still came into town to see me. Matt ran in the run with me and didn't train very much before (he had only gotten up to 4 miles). Luckily, the morning of the race the rain held off and I bundled up. It started off easy, but I got hot very fast and wished I hadn't bundled up because the scarf and jacket were so bulky and felt like dead weight bouncing on me with every step.
Matt and I stayed neck and neck and I sped up the last mile because I had saved all my energy and Matt stayed behind. Right before the finish line "someone" sprints past me telling me to come on and I realized that it was Matt who had sprinted until he past me to finish 1 SECOND BEFORE ME! After all my training I was soooo mad...I was sprinting and chasing him yelling NOOOOOO until I crossed. It felt so nice to finish and know that my training had paid off.
That next week was my horrid spring break and I took it easy with the running since my body was basically shutting down already because of no sleep and an unhealthy diet. I have since picked it back up and am starting to slowly train for that long-wanted half marathon.
That is pretty much the most exciting events of my life at the moment besides another full weekend of school work while Matt is in Lafayette with Gable. I have never realized how much I love having a dog around. I am missing Gable so much...I have no one to cuddle with...you would think I would be saying that about Matt, but I am used to not having him around.
Nikki
A Lafayette Mardi Gras Celebration
Although many of my friends were in NOLA, my family was there and we had a great time! We went to a parade Friday night and then went out (where Kristen got in a fight with a girl haha). The next day Kristen, Jake, and I went to the Youngsville Parade (a small town, fun parade) and later that night we went with some friends to the Bonaparte Parade which my mom and Linda were in. It was cold, but a lot of fun. There was music, dancing, a bar, and a HUGE pot of gumbo to keep us warm. When it came to my mom's float, they were nowhere in sight. We quickly realized that they were on the other side so Kristen and Lauren's sister (Lindsey) jumped the barriers and ran in between floats while Lauren and I (too scared to do it) watched...very us! After finally getting showered with beads...we noticed a cop quickly approaching and started yelling to warn them, but we were to late. He pushed them and told them to get back. Linsdey ran jollilly with an arm full of beads and a smile on her face and hurdled the barrier...only to fall on her face for all to see! Kristen (still being pushed by the cop) saw and was falling down with her beads and laughing...they both ended up getting back safely and it makes for a good laugh.
Sunday we had a crawfish boil for 20 at Matt's house and spent the day eating, drinking, shooting skeet, relaxing, and riding four wheelers. It was a good trip in the end...and I was not thrilled to go back to school when everyone had off for Mardi Gras... I threw a Mardi Gras at school complete with King Cake and beads.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Everyone needs to come to Houston next year...I have never seen so many lights in neighborhoods. The second night we opened gifts in front of our first tree together. I have no job this year so I was thrifty with all gifts and I gave him the boring gift of pants haha. He really really surprised me with a white electric guitar! Ever since I met him I have talked about one day wanting to learn how to play the guitar...I always thought it would happen after I graduated, but he stunned me with it now! And it is my favorite one...white! Now I guess I will start learning now...never too soon to start doing something on your bucket list!
I then went to Oklahoma to my parent's house and Matt went to his, in Lafayette. That was so nice. The first night we enjoyed the company of Scott's family and some other friends surprised us with Christmas carols at the door...Karli and Keith are such great singers! Then later we did a little hot tubbing. I love that my parents have a hot tub and pool; I cannot wait until summer time!
The next day was Christmas and we took our time getting up and around. We def. set a record by waiting until 2 pm to open gifts! Rock Band was a big hit of the family all weekend, we had a ton of concerts and now I am obsessed.
For those of you who were there at Thanksgiving you would be proud, my dad fried two turkeys which were both done BEFORE dinner! Dawn's nephew taught me a few chords on the guitar so I am really excited!
I spent one day at home before leaving with Matt for New Orleans, for New Years with my three best friends and their husbands/boyfriends. After spending hours in Serrano's (a local Mexican food restaurant) watching LSU DOMINATE! woohoo, we went to Jackson Square to see the Fleur de Lis drop and the firework show over the river. The rest of the night we walked around...bourbon...Harrah's Casino, and finally went to bed.
Looking back on the past few weeks I think about all that I have in my life. Of course the most important are health and family and friends. I am grateful for everyone in my life. The mixture of personalities that surround me make me who I am today. I have realized that people go through their good and bad times in their lives, but never forget the people around you who love you. I should remember to always make an effort to keep people close to me. Friends cannot stay your friends if there is no effort made on each part! I am so grateful that I can share in the life experiences good or bad with the people I love!
I know this is a long post but I have a lot to say. I looked back at a list I had made my Junior year of high school. This list contained all of the things I wanted to accomplish in my life. It is amazing the things that I can check off and the one's I didn't, and how meaningless they are now.
* Make Senior Cheerleader and Homecoming court (check)
* Get a degree in Architecture and become an Architect (still trying)
* develop a neighborhood (well....we will see)
* Find the right guy for me (Hope so!)
* Get Married (hmmm...haha)
* Learn to play the guitar (well...hopefully)
* Run a marathon (hope so)
* Travel the world (still think I can...one country at a time)
Now six years later I have so much more to add, but I think my wishes are great and they will keep me entertained at the least for awhile!
xo,
Nikki
Louisiana Tailgating
My goal of the trip was to visit my people from Baton Rouge since I had been promising them I would. I stopped first at my old job and only got to see two of my co-workers (oh well...guess I will have to make another trip soon). I found out that right after I left they landed two movie studios for the producers of Mr. Brooks in New Orleans...dang it! They have already grown so much since I left and as soon as I walked into the office I instantly missed it so much. It is so easy to be comfortable there because everyone is so nice and fun.
I then drove to LSU and walked my usual route past the stadium to visit my old studio buddies. I miss them too! Things have changed in studio a lot since last semester...and some things havent.
I ran some errands and waited for a friend to pick me up on her way in from Alabama, and we drove to Lafayette...yes lafayette again! We met the girls my other two best friends for a 24th b-day and caught up on everything for hours.
Saturday morning started in Baton Rouge (yes Baton Rouge again). We walked to the Am Mart (some of the best sandwiches you will ever get your hands on...and my Baton Rouge past time), then to our tailgate spot for the day. Tailgating sure has changed since last year because many of our friends have graduated...but was still fun!
It was your usual Baton Rouge tailgate in the cold weather. You walk up to the purple and gold tents with the flags flying and hear the competition of music from your tailgate and the one next to you. Instantly you see the huge pot of Jambalaya cooking that you will be able to eat shortly and then the smell of Gumbo mixes in from the tailgaters to your right. There is a tv with chairs for people to watch other games, a keg for you to start off your morning, beer bong and/or flip cup going on, and a game of washers.
As the tailgate spot gets more and more crowded you and your buddies decide to take a walk around campus to visit others and have your first of many trips to the port-a-potty. You hear music and people already drunk on the microphones and see the kids sliding down the Indian Mounds with boxes.
The band marches down the road on their way to the stadium as they always do and everyone gathers on the streets and cheers...much like a Mardi Gras parade, but with out the beads.Then the buses drive by..and people get rowdy. An Ole Miss fan in red walks by and gets Tiger Baited (only to find out it is us that would lose).
We get into the student section of Death Valley and the band starts their LSU fight song that still gives me chills. The football players run in with the fireworks and flags, and the announcer says the weather with the chance of rain...NEVER! What a bad game...but it was still fun to do all the dances and chants that we always do.
Even after the game we tailgate...drowning our sorrows in fun and friends... just cannot get that in Houston. Cannot wait to go back next season!
xo,
Nikki
something to nibble on...
When I left for Houston I was excited for a new adventure. But, to repeat what I have been saying the past few weeks, "I miss LSU so much!" I never thought I would ever say that. I also miss my job more than anything!
Houston is quite different from Louisiana. It is like desperate housewives, and everyone has a lawn guy that they want us to use. I feel like I am being watched and cannot do anything wrong. There are cameras at almost every light and to change your matchy match house, you have to take paint samples to the HOA people! I think I know what I am doing and it really ticks me off. No wonder no one does anything to their house. It took me an hour to find a kinko's because all of the buildings look alike!
I told my mom that I just want to take a big bucket of paint and throw it on everything! Not burnt red or beige! You know, color can be risky and not always work like you planned, but at least in the end you can say you took a risk. I guess to some extent Sugar Land did by making everything match and look exactly the same, and in my opinion they failed miserably.
On that note, I am still trying to figure out the character of Houston. Besides interstates, there has got to be something other than money that makes people enjoy living here. In class today we talked about the spirit of a city...the places I have lived in Louisiana are full of spirit. That makes me think how big can a city be and still keep its own spirit? With all the suburbs of Houston, it almost takes on too much and loses itself. Anyway enough about that.
I have posted some pics from the past couple of weeks...enjoy and please keep me in mind with IKE because yet again I might be traveling back and forth to Louisiana during a hurricane.
Baton Rouge was too hot after a week of no electricity following Gustav so we had some visitors over the weekend and took them out...the band loved the LSU hat. No more triscuits and beef jerky for breakfast anymore Sina! Baton Rouge got hit pretty bad and LSU lost a lot of trees...
xo,
Nikki